Everything Everywhere All At Once star Ke Huy Quan on his ‘wild ride’ comeback – from The Goonies and Indiana Jones to the 2023 Oscars
“Hang on lady, we going for a ride!” Almost 40 years on from delivering this understatement of a line on a rope bridge in one of the most famous films of the 1980s, actor Ke Huy Quan is now on a wild ride of his own.
Because before Everything Everywhere All At Once, the hit multiverse film that has more nominations than any other at this year’s Oscars, Quan, 51, was best known for his work as a child star.
If you were wondering where you recognise the actor from, think back and you’ll place him; as young sidekick Short Round alongside Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom, and the gadget-loving Data – setter of booty traps and inventor of the suction-cup belt and slick shoes – in The Goonies.
Quan (right) with Michelle Yeoh (centre) and Stephanie Hsu in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Pic: A24
Despite these roles in two of the most beloved films of the 1980s, Quan struggled to find further work in an industry where opportunities on screen for Asian-American actors were scarce. Unable to find roles on screen, he eventually went to film school, began working behind the camera and more or less gave up on his hopes of acting again.
Now, he has made not just a comeback, but an award-winning comeback, having picked up a slew of prizes – including a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice and SAG awards – for his performance as Waymond Wang alongside Michelle Yeoh in Everything Everywhere. On Sunday, he may well be adding an Oscar to that list.
“I’m so happy!” he exclaimed as he spoke to Sky News at the London Critics’ Circle Awards in February, wearing his glee on his sleeve. Quan in 2023 is still boyish, his face expressive; the young star still very much there.
“It feels great,” he said of his comeback. “Also surreal. In fact, when I decided to step back into acting, I was so nervous because I didn’t know what the audience would think. The last [time] they saw me up on the screen I was a little kid, and now I’m a middle-aged man. So to have the response of positivity has been incredible.”
Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Quan, and Jeff Cohen in The Goonies
In a world where A-listers are usually more reserved, it is a joy to witness his exuberance.
Like Richard E Grant’s unashamed delight when he was nominated for an Oscar in 2019, Quan has become one of the stars of this year’s awards season, sharing numerous selfies and videos on social media from the ceremonies he has attended and of the stars he has met along the way.
‘I love selfies’
Ke Huy Quan: Film star, award winner, and master of the finger point. Pic: Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP
After the annual Oscars preview luncheon, he shared a series of photos on Instagram, nearly all featuring a grinning Quan in what has become his trademark finger point pose, alongside the likes of Tom Cruise, Angela Bassett, Brendan Fraser and Stephen Spielberg, who of course directed him all those years ago in Indiana Jones.
“I was just so excited to be at the 95th Academy Luncheon today,” he captioned the post. “As we were gathering for the group picture, I looked around me and got very emotional because it finally hit me that I was among this group of nominees… and you probably have caught on by now, I love selfies. Sharing some more from this afternoon.”
And it is all thanks to his critically acclaimed performance in Everything Everywhere.
Read more:
The Oscars luncheon in pictures: Inside the big preview party
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“When I read the script, I knew it was special,” he told Sky News. “I loved it. It was a script that I wanted to read for a long time, and we had the most fun making it. But, we didn’t expect all of this. I mean, all these award nominations and the audience embracing the movie the way they did is beyond anything we ever imagined.
“I’m enjoying [awards season] very much. I’m very grateful for everything that has happened since. And yeah, it’s been a wild ride.”
‘Knowing where I am today, I wouldn’t trade it for the world’
Quan with Harrison Ford and Kate Capshaw in Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom. Pic: Moviestore/Shutterstock
At a UK Oscars preview party, a joyful Quan spoke to Sky News once again, and elaborated on how his comeback correlated with the film’s theme of alternate lives.
“That’s another reason why people love our movie, all these questions about, what if?” he said. “When you are faced with a fork in the road, what path would you choose? And we always wonder, what would our life be had we chosen a different path?
“Sometimes I think about it, especially when I was struggling as an actor. I always think about, could I have done something different? Would I have had more opportunities when I was much younger? Knowing where I am today I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Read more:
Blockbusters, first-timers and snubs – all the Oscars talking points
How to watch all the big films nominated for Oscars
So could the Oscar be next?
“I’m just trying to be in the moment and enjoy one day at a time,” he said. “Honestly, when I did this movie, when I decided to get back into acting, I didn’t think any of this was possible. I just wanted a job. I just wanted to be in front of the camera again. All these nominations are so, so great. It’s already a win for me.”
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Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
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